ACTS 24

5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

When Paul visited the synagogues

"he reasoned with them out of Moses and the Prophets, expounding and proving by citations the things concerning the Christ."

The result was division wherever he went. Was Paul, or the truth he set forth, the efficient cause of the schisms?...

Yet Paul was denounced by the "G.M.'s" of his day as a scatterer of divisions or schisms, a turner of the world upside down, a pestilent fellow, and so forth...

These great truths and the testimonies of the apostles and prophets pertaining to them, are followed by debates and oppositions. But I am no more to be blamed for these than Paul. When God's testimony is presented to the blind who say they see, trouble in their camp is inevitable; for the thinking of the flesh is enmity against God and his word. The word of life is light, even as God is light.

When, therefore, it shines into the darkness, a struggle ensues between the two elements. If the light prevail the darkness is extinguished, and there is peace; but if the darkness maintain its position, as is generally the case, the light is excluded with all through whom it shines and death remains.

Thus, a division or schism is effected. The Schismatics are the fleshly-thinking opponents of the testimony of God, and not he or they who show what that testimony is, and endeavour to prove that it means precisely what it says.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Sept 1853

15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Resurrection Not the Birth of the Spirit

As no part of Scripture can be inconsistent with the teaching of Paul and the words of Christ, all the statements of Scripture must be governed by the declaration, that "there shall be a resurrection of both just and unjust" (Acts 24:15); and that "those who have done evil (shall come forth) to the resurrection of condemnation."—(Jno. 5:29.) If a statement were found in the Scriptures, that none but the righteous would awake to life again, there would be something in the nature of difficulty to consider. But there is no such statement.

It is true the resurrection occurs in connection with the birth of the Spirit; but it is not true either that the resurrection is the birth of the Spirit, or that a man must be the subject of that resurrection before he can be born of the Spirit. It is living men that are "born of water," and it will be living men that will undergo the change expressed by the words "born of the Spirit."

Some of these living men will never have tasted of death at all, but will be alive at the coming of the Lord.—(1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:17.)

The majority of these will have emerged from the grave, to appear before the judgment of Christ, in order that they may receive in body the great result of well doing, in being changed by the Spirit and, therefore, born out of Spirit, to become spiritual.

True it is, that "that which is born of the flesh (by the natural law of reproduction) is flesh," and that that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit; but it is not true that this birth of the Spirit occurs in "the power of God releasing a man from the grave." The power of God released the Son of the widow of Nain, the centurion's daughter, and Lazarus and many others from the grave in the days of Jesus; but the persons so released were not thereby born of the Spirit.

So the unjust are also to "come forth"—"released by the power of God from the grave;" but they are not thereby born of the Spirit. The birth of the Spirit is to be found in the completion of that process which ends in "this corruptible putting on incorruption:"

"this vile body being fashioned like unto Christ's own glorious body.—(1 Cor. 15:53; Phil. 3:21.)

Those who sow to the flesh, though they come from the grave and stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, do not attain to this glorious ending. They reap corruption (Gal. 6:8); consequently they are not born of the Spirit in coming from the grave, but are mere naturals reproduced by the power that made the natural in the first instance.

The saints come through this stage, but they advance to the glorious consummation: they attain to the "adoption, to wit the redemption of their body."—(Rom. 8:23). They become the subjects of a second divine birth, this time by the spirit, which changes them into spirit. Therefore, the conclusion that "in the first act of resurrection, God produces a spirit-body perfect in all its parts," is contrary to the truth.

...Flesh-birth is preceded by conception and gestation, and spirit-birth has its similar preliminary in the resurrection and judgment of the men and women who in a former time were the subjects of the water-birth; these are the embryotic children of God who are fully born when the Spirit changes them. The analogy requires but this, that as the flesh-child is complete when the process of flesh re-production is complete, so the Spirit-child (so to speak) is complete when the process of Spirit-propagation is complete.

The Christadelphian, May 1874

16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

A GOOD, AND AN EVIL, CONSCIENCE

The reader, by contemplating Adam and Eve in innocency, and afterwards in guilt, will perceive in the facts of their case, the nature of a good conscience, and of an evil one. When they rejoiced in "the answer of a good conscience," they were destitute of shame and fear. They could stand naked in God's presence unabashed; and, instead of trembling at His voice, they rejoiced to hear it as the harbinger of good things. It was then pure and undefiled, being devoid of all conscience of sin.

They were then of the truth, living in obedience to it as expressed in the law; and therefore their hearts were assured before Him. No doubts and fears oppressed them then. But mark the change that afterwards came over them. When they lost their good conscience, terror seized upon them at the voice of God, and shame possessed their souls; and they sought to get out of His sight, and to remove as far from Him as possible. Now, what was the cause of this? There is but one answer that can be given, and that is -- SIN.

Sin, then, takes away "the answer of a good conscience towards God," and converts it into an evil conscience; which may be certainly known to exist, when the subject of it is ashamed of the truth, and harassed by "doubts and fears." They are ashamed of the truth, who, being enlightened, feel themselves condemned; or, being ignorant, apprehend it. Such, on account of unbelief, or of "a dead faith," may well be ashamed and afraid; for to be ashamed of God's truth is to be ashamed of His wisdom and power.

People of this description, proscribe all conversation about the truth as unfashionable, and vulgar; or as calculated to disturb the peace of the family circle: others again, make a great outcry against controversy as dangerous to religion; as though God's truth could be planted in the hearts of men, already prepossessed by God's enemy, without controversy: others subjected to the timidity of sin, reduce every thing to opinion, and inculcate "charity;" not that they are more liberal and kind than other people; but that they fear lest their own nakedness may be discovered, and "men see their shame:" while another class of bashful professors cry out, "disturb not that which is quiet," which is a capital maxim for a rotten cause, especially where its subversion would break up all "vested interests," and pecuniary emoluments.

So it is; while "the righteous are bold as a lion, the wicked flee when no man pursueth." Sinners, however "pious" they may be reputed to be, are invariably cowards; they are ashamed of a bold stand for their own profession; and afraid of an independent and impartial examination of the law and testimony of God.

Understanding then, that sin, or the transgression of God's law, evinced by doubts, fears, and shamefacedness, is the morbid principle of an evil conscience, what is the obvious indication to be fulfilled in its removal? The answer is, blot out the sin, and the conscience of the patient will be cured.

The morbid phenomena will disappear, and "the answer of a good conscience toward God " (1 Peter 3:21) remain. From the nature of things, it is obvious, that the sinner cannot cure himself; though superstition has taught him to attempt it by fastings, and penances, and all "the voluntary humility and vain deceit," inculcated by "the blind." Adam and Eve vainly imagined they could cover their own sin, and efface it from divine scrutiny; but the very clumsy device they contrived betrayed the defilement of their consciences.

Their posterity have not learned wisdom by the failure of their endeavor; but, to this day, they are as industriously engaged in inventing cloaks for their evil consciences, as were their first parents, when stitching fig-leaves together to cover their shame. So true is it that, though God made man upright, he hath sought out many inventions (Eccles. 7:29). But, after all the patching, and altering, and scouring, they are but like "the filthy garments" taken from the high priest, Joshua (Zech. 3:3-4); to which all the iniquity laid upon him, adhered with the inveteracy of a leprous plague.

Men have not yet learned the lesson, that all they are called upon by God to do, is to believe His word and obey His laws.

He requires nothing more at their hands than this.

If they neither believe nor do; or, believe, but do not obey, they are evil doers, and at enmity with Him. He asks men for actions, not words; for He will judge them "according to their works" in the light of His law; and not according to their suppositious feelings, and traditions.

The reason why He will not permit men to prescribe for their own moral evils, is, because He is the Physician, they the lepers; He their Sovereign, they the rebels against His law. It is His prerogative, and His alone, to dictate the terms of reconciliation.

Man has offended God.

It becomes him, therefore, to surrender unconditionally; and, with the humility and teachableness of a child, to receive with open heart, and grateful feelings, what-ever in the wisdom, and justice, and benevolence of God, He may condescend to prescribe. Until they do this, they may preach in His name (Matt. 7:21-23); make broad their phylacteries (Matt. 23:5, 6, 7); sound trumpets in the synagogues and in the streets (Matt. 6:1-4); make long prayers in public (verse 5-7, 23:14); disfigure their countenances with grimace that they may appear to fast (Matt. 6:16-18); build churches; compass sea and land to make proselytes (Matt. 23:15); found hospitals; and fill the world with their benevolences -- all is reducible to mere fig-leaf invention as a substitute for "the righteousness of God."

"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered" (Rom. 4:7); but this blessedness came not upon Adam, nor upon any of his posterity, by garments of their own device.

The Lord's covering for sin is "a change of raiment," even "white raiment," which He counsels men to buy, '"that they may be clothed, and that the shame of their nakedness do not appear" (Rev. 3:18). He alone can furnish it. His price is that men should believe, and put it on.

Elpis Israel Ch 3.

25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Felix Trembled

...he counts the cost, and finds it too great; he finds that we are a despised sect, everywhere spoken against, who cannot offer any worldly equivalent for the loss of former friends, being evil spoken of, and probable loss of worldly advantages. He, therefore, determines ('for the present,' at all events) to think about it, like Felix, till a more convenient season arrive, which never comes.

‭The Christadelphian, ‬ Sept 1871

The Subject about which Peter wrote

When Paul reasoned with Felix, who had been for many years a judge to the Jewish nation, he urged upon him among other things "the judgment being about to happen" του κριματος του μελλοντος εσεσθαι. In writing to the Christian Jews in Rome on this subject, he said,

"To them who are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there shall be indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, then of the Greek"-ch. 2:8-10.

According to God's arrangement, the Jew takes the lead in the rewards and punishments of his administration. "Salvation is of the Jews," said Jesus; therefore Paul teaches, "glory, honor, and peace, to the Jews first, then to the Greek."

Hence, there is no salvation for the Greek, or Gentile, till the Jew is saved; and as God has been so good and bountiful to Israel, and they have repaid him with such monstrous and base ingratitude, their punishment is necessitated before the development of salvation; and consequently, before the punishment and salvation of the Gentiles, which salvation comes to these through Abraham and his seed. This, then, is the order of the judgment, which, when Paul pleaded before Felix and wrote to Rome, was all in the future.

The subject in hand, then, has to do with Judgment upon the Jew first. Peter, in the temple court of Israel, told all the Jews assembled there, that Moses and all the prophets from Samuel had foretold of these days-Acts 3: 21-24: that is, of these days in which the Holy Spirit in Jesus and the apostles would speak of sin, righteousness, and judgment; in which Messiah would be manifested as a suffering person, and in which that terrible work should begin of destroying every soul from among the Jewish people that would not hear him.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jun 1859